Adjustable desk with bookcase

ABSTRACT

A desk and bookcase combination includes a desk with a horizontal planar desktop member supported by spaced apart, tubular, telescoping support legs which may be selectively adjusted to adjust the height of the desk by insertion of locking pins with locking hook parts into respective sets of pin receiving openings in the leg members. The bookcase includes opposed end support members having lateral channel shaped supports for slidably receiving opposite desktop side edges and one or more vertically spaced pairs of brace members for receiving cooperating shelf members having downwardly facing channel-shaped support members which may be hooked over respective pairs of brace members, for selectively positioning the shelf members with respect to the desktop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many applications for furniture which require features ofruggedness, uncomplicated, adjustable height and portability which arenot met by conventional furniture construction. For example, furniturefor institutional facilities, such as academic institution residencefacilities, requires to be rugged, utilitarian, somewhat portable andalso, with respect to furniture such as desks and work surfaces, heightadjustable. Accordingly, although myriad furniture structures have beendeveloped, there has been a continuing need for a somewhat portableadjustable height desk in combination with a bookcase, for example,which has heretofore not been available with prior art furniturearticles. It is to these ends that the present invention has beendeveloped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved article of furniturecomprising a desk and, in particular, a desk in combination with autilitarian bookcase or shelving arrangement.

The present invention also provides an improved, rugged, utilitariandesk which includes a generally horizontal work surface which isadjustable in height and the desk is somewhat portable so as to beeasily moved from one facility to another or easily moved within a roomwherein occasional repositioning of furniture is necessary or desirable.

In accordance with, one aspect of the present invention, an improvedhorizontal work surface is provided in an article of furniture which isrugged, constructed of utilitarian materials and structural components,is adjustable in height and may be mounted on casters or wheels for easeof movement. The desk is advantageously combined with a bookcase whichis also constructed of conventional materials and shapes and which isboth rugged and utilitarian. The desk and bookcase combination isparticularly useful for furniture for institutional applications.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a portable desk isprovided with telescoping legs which are easily adjustable for adjustingthe height of the desk work surface. The telescoping legs are eachadvantageously provided with a leg position locating pin and clipcombination which, for each leg, locks the leg in a selected telescopedor extended position which minimizes the risk of the leg collapsing, isunobtrusive, and provides for a desk construction which may be easilyfabricated.

The present invention still further provides a unique desk and bookcasecombination including a bookcase characterized by spaced-apart sets ofvertically extending column members for supporting one or more moveablebookshelves and wherein the column members are provided with opposedchannel-shaped support members which slidably engage opposite lateraledges of a desktop or work surface member whereby the bookcase issuitably retained in assembly with the desk to prevent inadvertenttoppling or detachment from the desk while also being easily separatedfrom the desk for transport, for example.

Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentionedadvantages and superior features of the invention upon reading thedetailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an improved adjustable height desk andbookcase combination in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bookcase shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one preferred embodiment ofthe desk;

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of certain components of one of thetelescoping legs of the desk of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating how the heightadjustment of the legs is selected and locked by a unique locking pinand clip or hook member;

FIG. 6 is a detail perspective view showing how the combination pin andhook may be moved to a locking position; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of adesktop or work surface member for the desk of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout thespecification and drawing with the same reference numerals,respectively. The drawing figures may not necessarily be to scale andcertain features may be shown in generalized or schematic form in theinterest of clarity and conciseness.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a unique desk andbookcase combination in accordance with the invention and generallydesignated by the numeral 10. The desk and bookcase 10 is characterizedby a rugged, utilitarian and aesthetically pleasing desk 12 which may beused with or without an upstanding bookcase 14 removably mountable onthe desk 12 in the position shown in FIG. 1. Bookcase 14 ischaracterized by opposed ladder-like end support members 16 and 18, seeFIG. 2 also, which comprise spaced apart upstanding metal tubes 20interconnected by transverse tubular brace members 22 disposed at spacedapart intervals, as illustrated. The end support members 16 and 18 arealso interconnected by one or more horizontally extending transverseelongated rod or tube members 24, two shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. One ormore shelves 26, two shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are removably mountable onthe bookcase 14 and comprise generally planar shelf members 27 ofgenerally rectangular shape and opposed downwardly facing channel-shapedend support members 28 which are suitably secured to the shelf members27 and are adapted to be hooked over selected opposed ones of thetransverse brace members 22, as illustrated. Accordingly, the shelves 26may be placed in selected working positions on any one set of opposedbrace members 22. There are four spaced apart brace members 22 for eachend support member 16 and 18 in the embodiment illustrated. The endsupport members 16 and 18 are also provided with opposed, laterallyfacing channel shaped bottom support members 29 connected to the columnor tube members 20 by suitable means, such as welding and spaced apartsufficiently to slidably receive opposed edges of and rest on agenerally rectangular, planar desktop member or work surface 30 of desk12, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the bookcase 14 may be easilymounted on or demounted from the desk 12 but is suitably retainedthereon and is disposed in a stable working position thanks to theopposed laterally facing channel shaped support members 29.

Referring primarily to FIG. 3, the desk 12 is characterized by fourspaced apart adjustable length legs 32, opposed pairs of which areinterconnected by transverse horizontal extending brace members 34 whichare similar in some respects to the bookcase brace members 22 and arespaced apart sufficiently to support one or more lower shelves 36, oneshown in FIG. 3. Shelf 36 is characterized by a generally planar shelfmember 37 and opposed downwardly facing channel shaped support members38 which may be hooked over a selected pair of opposed brace members 34,as shown in FIG. 1 also. Respective pairs of legs 32 and cooperatingtubular brace members 34 are interconnected by one or more elongatedtubular brace members 41, preferably aligned with a pair of lateralbrace members 34 for interconnecting a so-called rear pair of legs 32for the desk 12, as shown.

The upper ends of the respective leg members 32 are each provided with agenerally triangular shaped support plate 42 extending generallyhorizontally, as shown in FIG. 3. Support plates 42 may be provided withsuitable fastener receiving openings, not shown, or provided forsecurement to the desktop member 30 by a suitable adhesive. An elongatedrectangular cross section metal tube brace member 43, FIG. 3, is adaptedto be secured to the underside of desktop member 30 by spaced apartplate components 43 a, using suitable fasteners, not shown, or asuitable adhesive.

Referring now also to FIGS. 4 through 6, a particularly advantageousfeature of the desk 10 is provided by the respective telescoping legmembers 32 which are each characterized by an upper leg member 32 a anda lower leg member 32 b adapted to be telescopically received within theupper leg member 32 a. The lower ends of each of the leg members 32 bare adapted to be supported on and connected to suitable casters 46,respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, a cylindrical guide bushing or bearingmember 48 is adapted to be removably received in the lower end 32 d ofupper leg member 32 a to provide a bearing and guide for the lower legmember 32 b which is telescopically received in the tubular upper legmember 32 a for each of the leg members 32. Bushing or bearing member 48is a generally ring-like member having an annular locating flange 48 aformed thereon. Bearing member 48 may be made of a suitableself-lubricating plastic material, such as Nylon, for example. Bearingor bushing member 48 is configured to be a substantially snug fit withinthe tubular leg member 32 a and is also dimensioned to snugly butslidably receive the lower leg member 32 b therewithin.

Referring further to FIGS. 5 and 6, in particular, each of lower legmembers 32 b is provided with plural spaced apart pairs of lockpinreceiving openings 32 e, FIG. 6, operable to be aligned with acorresponding pair of pin receiving opening 32 f, see FIG. 4 also,formed in upper leg member 32 a. Openings 32 e and 32 f are formed inthe walls of the tubular leg members 32 b and 32 a opposite each otherso that a height adjustment locking pin 50, FIGS. 5 and 6, may beinserted in a selected set of openings 32 e and 32 f for locking thelower member 32 b in selected telescoped positions within and connectedto an upper leg member 32 a, respectively. In this way, the desk 12 maybe adjusted with respect to the height of the desktop member or worksurface 30 for a selected working position of the desk while it rests onthe leg members 32 and respective casters 46.

Referring again briefly to FIGS. 5 and 6, the combination lockpin andhook 50 includes a lateral projecting pin part 52 integral with adepending leg 54 and a normally laterally extending hook-shaped distalpart 56. Distal part 56 is formed to have an arcuate hook-like shape tobe disposed in a plane which may extend normal to a plane which wouldinclude the entirety of the depending leg part 54.

In this way, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lockpin 50 may be insertedin the openings 32 f in an upper leg member 32 a and through a selectedset of openings 32 e in a cooperating lower leg member 32 b while thehook part 56 is displaced angularly as indicated by the dashed lines inFIG. 6, out of the way, as shown, and once the pin part 52 is in itsworking position the hook part 56 may be rotated into the position shownby the solid lines in FIG. 6 to secure the lockpin 50 in its workingposition.

Referring briefly to FIG. 7, an alternate embodiment of a desktop orwork surface member for the desk 10 is illustrated and generallydesignated by the numeral 60. Desktop member 60 is a multipart memberincluding a generally planar, rectangular member 62, preferably formedof a plastic laminate, such as polyvinylchloride, and providing a worksurface 62 a adapted to fit within a perimeter frame 64. Perimeter frame64 is characterized by suitably formed or welded together longitudinalflat plate or bar parts 66 and transverse bar parts 68 to form arectangular perimeter which is adapted to snugly receive the member 62therewithin. Work surface member 62 may be secured to frame 64 attriangular gusset members 70 and desktop member 60 may be secured to therespective legs 32 by securing the support plate members 42 of each ofthe legs to a corresponding gusset member 70 disposed at each corner ofthe perimeter frame 64. Perimeter frame 64 may also include transversebrace members 67 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The desk and bookcase combination 10 may be fabricated of conventionalengineering materials used for furniture. In particular, the desktopmembers 30 and 62 may be formed of a suitable rugged plastic materialsuch as polyvinylchloride (PVC), as mentioned, while the shelf members27 and 37 may be formed of a Formica brand laminate, for example.Conventional steel or aluminum metal shapes may be used forsubstantially all of the other components described herein.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described indetail herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that varioussubstitutions and modifications may be made without departing from thescope and spirit of the appended claims.

1. A desk comprising: a generally horizontally extending desktop memberforming a planar work surface; plural upstanding support legs spacedapart and secured to said desktop member, each of said legs comprisingan upper leg member and a lower leg member, said lower leg member beingtelescopically received within said upper leg member; a locking memberengaged with said upper and lower leg members of each of said legs forlocking said lower leg member in a selected telescoped position withrespect to said upper leg member for adjusting the height of said worksurface with respect to a support surface for said desk; and a bookcaseremovably mounted on said desktop member.
 2. The desk set forth in claim1 wherein: said upper and lower leg members comprise generallycylindrical tubular members and said lock member includes a lockpininsertable in pin receiving openings formed in each of said upper andlower leg members, respectively.
 3. The desk set forth in claim 2wherein: said lockpin includes a lockpin part and a hook part forsecuring said lockpin part in a locked position with respect to said legmembers, said hook part including a generally arcuate portion engageablewith at least one of said upper and lower leg members in a selectedlocking position of said lockpin for securing said lockpin in saidlocked position.
 4. The desk set forth in claim 3 wherein: said lockpinincludes a stem portion integrally joined to said lockpin part and saidhook part of said lockpin.
 5. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein:said leg members are interconnected by plural, spaced apart, generallyhorizontally extending brace members forming opposed pairs of said legmembers, respectively.
 6. The desk set forth in claim 5 wherein: opposedones of said leg members are interconnected by plural elongated bracemembers, respectively.
 7. The desk set forth in claim 5 including: ashelf adapted for support on said desk below said desktop member, saidshelf including a generally planar shelf member and opposed end supportmembers, said end support members including channel-shaped parts adaptedto be hooked over selected ones of said brace members of said opposedpairs of said leg members, respectively.
 8. The desk set forth in claim1 wherein: said bookcase includes spaced apart opposed end supportmembers comprising, respectively, spaced apart upstanding column membersand plural spaced apart brace members interconnecting said columnmembers, respectively, and at least one shelf member supported by andbetween said end support members.
 9. The desk set forth in claim 8wherein: said shelf member includes a generally planar shelf member partand opposed downwardly facing channel-shaped support members connectedto said shelf member part and engageable with said brace members of saidend support members, respectively, for positioning said shelf member ina selected working position on said bookcase.
 10. The desk set forth inclaim 8 wherein: said bookcase includes opposed end support membersincluding opposed channel shaped members, respectively, spaced apart andengageable with said desktop member by receiving opposite lateral sideedges thereof, respectively, in said channel shaped members forsupporting said bookcase on said desk.
 11. The desk set forth in claim 1wherein: said desktop member comprises a unitary plastic laminatemember.
 12. The desk set forth in claim 11 including: an elongateddesktop member brace member secured to an underside of said desktopmember.
 13. The desk set forth in claim 1 wherein: said desktop memberincludes a perimeter metal frame and a planar insert member secured toand enclosed by said perimeter frame at side edges thereof.